LIT-306 — Nigerian Oral Literatures in English Translation

About this course

LIT-306 Nigerian Oral Literatures in English Translation is a 300 Level course in the Literature in English department, taught in the Second Semester. On La-Net Hub you can watch all 30 recorded lectures for free, grouped into 10 series, read the course lecture note online or download it as a PDF, and test yourself with practice questions.

Fieldwork, Data Collection, and Reconstruction of Oral Literary Histories explores the practical and methodological approaches involved in gathering, analyzing, and reconstructing oral literary traditions from communities. It focuses on fieldwork techniques such as interviews, participant observation, audio and video recording, and note-taking, which are used to collect oral narratives like folktales, myths, songs, and historical accounts. The topic also examines how collected data is carefully organized, transcribed, interpreted, and reconstructed into coherent literary or historical forms while preserving authenticity, context, and cultural meaning. Emphasis is placed on ethical considerations, accuracy, and the role of researchers in safeguarding indigenous knowledge. Course objectives include enabling learners to understand effective fieldwork and data collection methods, develop skills in documenting and analyzing oral literature, reconstruct oral histories accurately, and apply ethical and professional standards in preserving cultural heritage.

Regional Translations of Indigenous African Tales explores the process of adapting and translating traditional African stories from one local language or cultural context to another, while preserving their original meaning, values, and artistic expression. It highlights the importance of language, cultural nuances, symbolism, and storytelling styles in ensuring that indigenous tales remain authentic and accessible to diverse audiences across different regions. The topic also examines the challenges of maintaining accuracy, context, and cultural identity during translation, as well as the role of translation in promoting cultural exchange and preservation. Course objectives include enabling learners to understand the principles and practices of translating indigenous African tales, appreciate the role of language and culture in storytelling, develop skills for accurate and culturally sensitive translation, and enhance the ability to preserve and share African oral traditions across different linguistic and regional boundaries.

Lectures in this course

Series 1: Field Work, Data Collection, and Reconstruction of Oral Literary Histories (series 5)

1. Field Work, Data Collection, and Reconstruction of Oral Literary Histories 1 8 minutes
2. Field Work, Data Collection, and Reconstruction of Oral Literary Histories 2 8 minutes 11 seconds
3. Field Work, Data Collection, and Reconstruction of Oral Literary Histories 3 8 minutes 10 seconds

Series 2: Fieldwork, Data Collection, and Reconstruction of Oral Literary Histories (series 5)

1. Fieldwork, Data Collection, and Reconstruction of Oral Literary Histories 1 7 minutes 35 seconds
2. Fieldwork, Data Collection, and Reconstruction of Oral Literary Histories 2 7 minutes 15 seconds
3. Fieldwork, Data Collection, and Reconstruction of Oral Literary Histories 3 4 minutes 47 seconds

Series 3: Regional Translations of Indigenous African Tales (series 4) · Part 1

1. Regional Translations of Indigenous African Tales 1 6 minutes 28 seconds
2. Regional Translations of Indigenous African Tales 2 7 minutes 34 seconds
3. Regional Translations of Indigenous African Tales 3 8 minutes 10 seconds

Series 4: Regional Translations of Indigenous African Tales (series 4) · Part 2

1. Regional Translations of Indigenous African Tales 1 6 minutes 40 seconds
2. Regional Translations of Indigenous African Tales 2 7 minutes 37 seconds
3. Regional Translations of Indigenous African Tales 3 8 minutes 10 seconds

Series 5: Rendering Oral Histories of Pre-Colonial African Heroes (series 3)

1. Rendering Oral Histories of Pre-Colonial African Heroes 1 9 minutes 59 seconds
2. Rendering Oral Histories of Pre-Colonial African Heroes 2 6 minutes 14 seconds
3. Rendering Oral Histories of Pre-Colonial African Heroes 3 7 minutes 28 seconds

Series 6: Rendering Oral Histories of Pre-Colonial African Heroes (series 3)

1. Rendering Oral Histories of Pre-Colonial African Heroes 1 9 minutes 51 seconds
2. Rendering Oral Histories of Pre-Colonial African Heroes 2 6 minutes 6 seconds
3. Rendering Oral Histories of Pre-Colonial African Heroes 3 7 minutes 21 seconds

Series 7: Tools and Techniques for collecting Oral Literature (series 1)

1. Tools and Techniques for collecting Oral Literature 1 7 minutes 7 seconds
2. Tools and Techniques for collecting Oral Literature 2 6 minutes 56 seconds
3. Tools and Techniques for collecting Oral Literature 3 4 minutes 33 seconds

Series 8: Tools and Techniques for Collecting Oral Literature (series 1)

1. Tools and Techniques for Collecting Oral Literature 1 7 minutes 35 seconds
2. Tools and Techniques for Collecting Oral Literature 2 7 minutes 15 seconds
3. Tools and Techniques for Collecting Oral Literature 3 4 minutes 47 seconds

Series 9: Translating African Oral Chants, Tales, Legends, and Myths (series 2)

1. Translating African Oral Chants, Tales, Legends, and Myths 1 8 minutes 53 seconds
2. Translating African Oral Chants, Tales, Legends, and Myths 2 6 minutes 46 seconds
3. Translating African Oral Chants, Tales, Legends, and Myths 3 7 minutes 15 seconds

Series 10: Translating African Oral Chants, Tales, Legends, and Myths (series 2)

1. Translating African Oral Chants, Tales, Legends, and Myths 1 8 minutes 26 seconds
2. Translating African Oral Chants, Tales, Legends, and Myths 2 6 minutes 39 seconds
3. Translating African Oral Chants, Tales, Legends, and Myths 3 7 minutes 13 seconds

Lecture note

Read the full LIT-306 lecture note online or download the PDF.

Open lecture note

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